Understanding the Code

For this month’s Reading Buddy Tip, we would like to post the PowerPoint and phonics cheat sheet from this year’s Reading Buddy Seminar (see links below). This year’s seminar covered some of the more common phonics patterns for breaking down words. Key takeaways from the seminar are:

1. Students need to be able to understand the patterns that combine to make words in order to develop automaticity. They also need opportunities to read meaningful texts.
2. When your students struggle with the sound a spelling pattern can make, tell them what the pattern is and have them say it back to you. For example, you might tell your student: sometimes “g” can sound like “j” as in “giant.”
3. Use extra time in your session to use the whiteboard to practice the sound/sounds a spelling pattern can make. Give students the opportunity to say the pattern, write it, and generate examples of words that fit the pattern.

View the PowerPoint Slides here.
View handout for Phonics Terms and Patterns here.